Model Answer
0 min readIntroduction
River linking, a concept debated for over a century, aims to transfer water from water-surplus basins to water-deficit basins through a network of canals and reservoirs. The Ken-Betwa river linking project, approved in 2021, marks a significant step towards realizing this ambitious vision. Historically, the idea gained momentum with the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) identifying 30 links – 16 Himalayan and 14 Peninsular – in 1980. While proponents highlight its potential to address water scarcity and boost agricultural productivity, environmentalists raise concerns about its ecological consequences. This answer will discuss the advantages of river linking and its potential impact on the environment.
Advantages of River Linking
River linking projects offer several potential benefits:
- Water Security: Addressing water scarcity in drought-prone regions by transferring surplus water from areas with abundant rainfall. This is particularly crucial in the context of climate change and increasing water demand.
- Irrigation Enhancement: Providing a reliable water supply for irrigation, boosting agricultural production and food security. The projects aim to create additional irrigation potential of around 87 million acres.
- Hydropower Generation: Utilizing the reservoirs and canals for hydropower generation, contributing to clean energy production.
- Flood Control: Regulating river flows and reducing the incidence of floods in vulnerable areas. Reservoirs can store excess water during monsoon season.
- Navigation: Improving inland water transport through the creation of navigable canals.
- Economic Development: Creating employment opportunities in construction, operation, and maintenance of the projects, and stimulating economic activity in the linked regions.
Possible Environmental Impacts
Despite the potential benefits, river linking projects pose significant environmental risks:
- Impact on Biodiversity: Altering river ecosystems, disrupting fish migration patterns, and threatening aquatic biodiversity. The construction of dams and canals can fragment habitats.
- Deforestation and Displacement: Submerging large areas of forest land and displacing local communities due to reservoir construction. The Ken-Betwa project, for instance, is expected to submerge 4,141 hectares of forest land.
- Altered River Flows: Changing the natural flow regime of rivers, impacting downstream ecosystems and groundwater recharge. This can lead to ecological imbalances.
- Water Quality Degradation: Potential for increased salinity and pollution due to altered water flows and reduced dilution capacity.
- Seismic Risks: Large reservoirs can induce seismicity in geologically sensitive areas.
- Inter-State Disputes: Potential for conflicts between states over water sharing and project implementation.
Specific Projects and Concerns
The Ken-Betwa project, linking the Ken and Betwa rivers in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, exemplifies these concerns. While it aims to provide irrigation to the Bundelkhand region, it faces opposition due to its impact on the Panna Tiger Reserve. Similarly, the proposed interlinking of the Godavari and Krishna rivers raises concerns about water availability for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
| Project | Linking Rivers | Key Concerns |
|---|---|---|
| Ken-Betwa | Ken & Betwa | Impact on Panna Tiger Reserve, Displacement of communities |
| Godavari-Krishna | Godavari & Krishna | Water sharing disputes between Andhra Pradesh & Telangana |
| Mahanadi-Godavari | Mahanadi & Godavari | Impact on delta ecosystems, salinity intrusion |
Conclusion
River linking presents a complex trade-off between water security and environmental sustainability. While the projects hold the potential to address India’s water challenges, careful planning, rigorous environmental impact assessments, and effective mitigation measures are crucial. A holistic approach that prioritizes ecological integrity, community participation, and inter-state cooperation is essential to ensure that the benefits of river linking outweigh the risks. Further research into alternative water management strategies, such as rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge, should also be prioritized alongside these large-scale infrastructure projects.
Answer Length
This is a comprehensive model answer for learning purposes and may exceed the word limit. In the exam, always adhere to the prescribed word count.